Tasmanian Sea Canoeing Club
Sea Kayaking in Tasmania
Trip Programs, Safety, Skills Training, Education, Information, Kayak Building
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Notes on Clothing and Equipment
These are notes designed to provide beginner sea kayakers with a guide to clothing and equipment. Experience will necessarily modify this advice but in the short term it may at least save wasted hourd (and dollars!) in gear shops and at best avoid paddling with inadequate and possibly unsafe gear.
Gear
While the Tasmanian sea canoeing club generally caters for members with their own gear we accept that initially people may wish to "try it out" before committing themselves to the expense of investing in their own gear. This is certainly good practice. The club owns two sea kayaks for hire to members at $10 per day. The kayaks come with paddle, personal flotation device (PFD), spraydeck, and hand bilge pump. The kayaks are one fibreglass Greenlander (made from the club owned mould) and one plastic Puffin. Other personal items such as paddling clothing and the means to transport the kayaks are left to the hirer. Conditions apply so speak to the boat custodian.
Alternatively, Roaring Forties Ocean Kayaking at Kettering (ph 6267 5000) offers a kayak hire and instruction service for reasonable rates.
Basic Clothing
Hypothermia and exposure to the sun are the main things to protect against. You must be able to float and swim in whatever you wear paddling.
There is a wide choice of suitable clothing on the market so shop around and try a range before you buy. You must feel comfortable in whatever you wear, it is a working garment, and you dont want it to rub, annoy or restrict your movement.
Cold Protection
In winter our sea temperatures are around 8 C. Paddlers are often wet from spray and rain, let alone capsize, and wind can add a substantial chill factor. There are various levels of dressing practice:
- The safest clothing is an all over dry suit, but at around $500 few people would afford one. They can be too warm in hot conditions.
- We recommend a long john style wet suit. Ensure the arm holes allow you complete freedom of shoulder movement, and that you are comfortable sitting with your legs out in front of you. The thickness of the neoprene is a matter of personal choice, a comprimise between cold protection and ease of movement and comfort. Thermal underwear and or fibrepile tops or wollen jumpers can be worn under the wet suit. In warm conditions a wet suit gets hot to paddle in, but should you suddenly have an unplanned and prolonged "swim" it could save your life.
- Some paddlers find a wetsuit too restrictive and uncomfortable, and prefer to dress in thermal clothing with a woolly jumper. While this is comfortable to paddle in, this clothing affords no protection in the water. They are assuming that if they capsize they will not be in the water for more than a few minutes. They are counting on a quick roll or rescue to save them. They need to have plenty of dry clothing at hand to keep them warm if they have to stop paddling, or once rescued.
Cotton garments afford no protection at all when wet - in fact cotton is used in tropical climates to "wick away" the heat. On top of your wet suit / jumper what ever you will need a windproof spray jacket, one that is easy to don and remove in changing conditions. Some paddlers buy cags with neoprene seals at collar and cuffs - these can be almost dry even in serious conditions, others use a lightweight nylon rain jacket - this keeps the wind out but not the wet. A hat is advisable - an ear-protecting head band is comfortable, or a beanie - for really cold conditions eg winter surf or a blizzard on an inland lake, a neoprene helmet is great. In cold water gloves add to comfort - washing up gloves afford wind chill protection, soke like to use neoprene gloves - ask about paddle pogees!
Sun protection
Reflection from the water intensifies the dangers associated with over exposure to the sun. Sun screen for all exposed skin, lip salve, sun glasses and a hat brim or screen for the eyes are essential all year round. Hats must be secured - tie it onto yourself or your clothing - and a drape behind the neck is advisable. Long sleeve shirts are recommended - usually your lower half is sealed inside the boat, so sun protection is more an issue on land.
Foot wear
You must be able to swim, walk on rough ground, sharp and slippery rocks, glass etc and you are guaranteed to get wet feet. Wet suit booties are recommended. Otherwise, a light pair of sandshoes, or rafting sandals if the weather is warm generally suffices to start with.
Snacks
Take some high energy and relatively waterproof snacks and a drink even for short paddles. Changing conditions sometimes keep you active longer then anticipated.
Apres paddling
Paddling is a wet game. Once on land you need to change into dry gear from the skin out. One does not always land where planned so come prepared with a waterproofed bag containing a full change of dry warm clothes to carry in the boat with you. A space blanket is useful as a wind shield if sitting around lunching / waiting out weather / emergency stops etc. And when you get back on the water, make sure you keep those dry clothes dry!
Kayak Specific Gear
P.F.D./Bouyancy Vest
"PFD" stands for personal flotation device. We suggest you buy a PFD type 2, distinguished from PFD 3 by the use of (sensible) bright colours. This is not a life-jacket. It aids your bouyancy when you are in the water. It has no collar and therefore does not keep your head supported, so survival depends on you being conscious and in control. Your PFD must not hinder your paddling - the armholes must be free, and the bouyancy panels concentrated on the front and back, with minimal bulk at the sides. Any bulk below the waist will interfer with the spray skirt fit. Your PFD must fit snugly and firmly - if loose it will ride over your head in the water, which is both dangerous and a nuisance. P.F.D.s are essential safety gear and are always worn.
Spray deck
The spray deck seals you into the cockpit of the boat. Sea kayaks come with a variety of cockpit shapes, rims and sizes, so each boat has a specific spray deck. Generally, suitable spray decks can be hired along with the boat; until you have determined what boat and consequently what spray deck you will purchase or make for yourself. The large multifit nylon spray decks which fit most boats may not be sufficiently tight on smaller cockpit rims and tend to puddle the water in your lap, which drips through onto your legs. A neoprene spray deck, fitting snugly around your torso under the PFD, and tight as a drum over the cockpit, is a great aid to comfort and security. Most seats are set a little forward of the back rim, so your spray skirt needs some flare behind as well as the obvious apron in front - check you can lean forward when “clipped in” to your boat. When you fit the spray deck to the cockpit ensure the release tab is firmly attached to the spray deck and always on the outside ready to grab. When using an unfamiliar spray deck, practise releasing it before you put to sea.
Paddle
Paddles are crucial - a good paddle feels like 7 league boots in comparison to a poor paddle. Don’t expect to borrow people’s personal paddles other than to swap for a few minutes on a trip. A basic paddle can be made for $20 - $30, using an aluminium shaft and laying up fibreglass blades. A paddle mould is available. The club does have a couple of paddles to hire with the club boats. For around $100 you can buy a good sturdy plastic paddle, great for beginners. A lovely lightweight (though fragile) sea paddle will cost double that and more. Sea paddlers generally use longer paddles than river kayakers do, due to the different boat and paddling techniques required. Paddles come in a variety of materials, sizes, blade shapes and degree of blade off set - start with what ever you can get easily, talk with people and try their paddles briefly to determine what suits your needs.
Transporting Kayaks
A single sea kayak generally measures between 5 and 5 1/2 metres long, and weighs around 30 kg empty. The local Greenlander Double measures 7 metres long, and weighs around 50 kg empty. Kayaks are transported empty.
The boats need as much support as possible when being transported. Carry bars, whether on the roof or trailer, must be solid and secure enough to carry the load. They need to be spaced well apart - at least 1 1/2, preferably 2 metres or more apart - to support the kayaks towards their 1/4 and 3/4 points. They need to have as much surface area as possible supporting the boats at those points - flat bars are preferable to round, and padding is needed. The kayaks should be tied down with sturdy, flexible cord or webbing tape that you can tie in secure knots. Tensioning knots such as a truckies hitch are recommended - pull very firm but don’t buckle or crunch the boat. Special care is required to ensure that plastic boats do not distort permanently after long periods on roofracks in the sun! Anchoring each end to the front and back of the car is also advisable, just firm but not tight, to allow relative flexing between the boat and the car / trailer.
There is a variety of carrying and fastening systems available commercially.
BEWARE! Salt water rusts cars. You will regret ignoring it! You can bring fresh water and towel to rinse your kayak before loading it onto your roof or wash things down at home.
Sea Kayaks
This will be your biggest investment - research it carefully, and don’t rush into it.
There is a variety of plastic, fibreglass and kevlar sea kayaks available commercially, and the club has moulds for several sea kayaks. Each boat is a compromise - if it has good tracking for long distance straight lines, it will not be very manoeuvrable, if it is wide and stable it will not have the acceleration of some boats etc. Big people may not fit into some of the smaller boats, and small people cannot paddle ergonomically in some of the bigger boats. So try out a variety of boats. Once you have made yourself known on a trip or two, some members may be willing to lend their kayak for you to trial. Likewise some retailers can organise an opportunity to trial their kayaks. It helps to paddle one boat in a variety of conditions and learn its behaviours and restrictions, to give a base line to compare other boats with. A fully fitted commercial sea kayak is likely to cost $2,000 to $3,500, and a double starts at around $3,000 commercially. You can build one for around $1,000, and it is a great learning experience! Ask around and team up with others planning to build, so you have the support and experience of the club to help you in the project.
We believe there are some basic requirements for a kayak to be sea worthy, quite apart from the design of the boat.
Essential Requirements
Waterproof
The kayak must be well joined, have no leaking holes and cracks, and have all hatches and cockpits well sealed.
Bouyancy
The kayak must have enough buoyancy at each end to guarantee it will float fairly level on the surface when full of water. Waterproof compartments both fore and aft are desirable for keeping gear dry. Solid bulkheads (or small walls) separate these compartments from the cockpit, the space you sit in. A seaworthy kayak will have bulkheads fitted just behind the seat and just in front of your feet. When empty of gear the compartments should be filled with removable buoyancy such as polystyrene foam, sealed orange juice bottles, or for temporary measure blow up beach balls, or wine bladders etc. Minimising the space that water can occupy makes rescue easier and capsize, leak or hull damage less problematical.
Decklines
In the event of a capsize in rough conditions, the paddler has to grab the boat immediately, as the wind will blow it away faster than you can swim. It is impossible to get a sure grip on the smooth wet surface of the kayak. A solid cord around the edge of the deck, attached every 60 to 100 cm for the complete length of the boat, is recommended. The deck lines should be strong and secure enough to carry a loaded boat by. We recommend cord of at least 8 mm, preferably 10 mm diameter be used. Grips for a 2, 3 and 4 person carry of the boat are desirable. Toggle grips are good at the ends, as they do not entangle the fingers when hanging on behind a boat being spun by surf.
Strongly recommended Requirements
Footrest
The boat is controlled with your hips and legs. A solid footrest enables the paddler to brace themselves firmly in the boat, and gives a solid base to work from with the paddle. The footrest should be stable and independent of steering control movement. Adjustable footrests allow the tightness of fit to be changed for differing paddling and clothing conditions, and to accommodate different paddlers.
Steering
This issue is open to debate. The wind and waves may tend to push the boat off course, it needs a strong paddler with good technique to exert their will over that influence at times. Sea kayaks have a variety of design strategies to provide directional stability, and most people find it advisable to use a rudder or adjustable skeg to assist control over boat direction. Steering foot controls need to be robust and simple whatever their configuration. Talk with members and examine the wide variety of steering controls around. If you intend using a sail, you will definitely need a rudder.
Pump
Sooner or later you will get a cockpit full of water. While it can be largely removed in an assisted rescue, it is advisable for each boat to have a pump. There are pros and cons for hand held and built in pumps; a variety of manual and battery powered pumps can be used. Talk with club members and retailers, and examine the options available.
Stowage
- Consider gear needed on the water such as a jumper, coat, hat, snack, drink etc - These things should not be rolling around loose in your cockpit, as you will loose them if you capsize. You need some system to stow and secure these necessary items, out of the way but easily reached when needed on the water, but not interfering with paddling or entry/exit. A net mounted on the foredeck or thigh pouches inside the boat are suitable for accessible storage.
- Consider luggage such as dry clothes, camping and diving gear etc - Waterproof compartments fore and aft are recommended. Small hatch openings may appear safer but make it difficult to pack larger items such as sleeping bag and stove. We commonly use 8 to 12 inch openings for our hatches. Beware of screw on lids, especially those with a fine thread - they jam or cross thread easily, a grain of sand can present a considerable problem.
Don’t rely on waterproof compartments staying completely dry. Even within the compartment critical items should be protected from water - various home made and commercial “dry bags” are used.
Keep the decks as uncluttered as practicable. It is not advisable to count on carrying significant luggage on the deck - you may loose it, it makes rescues very much more difficult, and having weight up high destabilises the boat.
A lot of gear can be home made on a low budget. When taking the ready made option, shop around, talk to staff, ask to look at catalogues - there are constant changes and innovations, not all of which can be kept on the shelf.
The above points are basic essentials in fitting out your sea kayak. Map and compass stowage, towline, spare paddle, sails, fishing setups ... you just have to get started, and take the rest as you feel ready.
Hiring Kayaks
The club has one Greenlander single and one Moonbird single available for hire to members for use on club trips. Both boats are equipped with rudders, and come with spray deck, paddle, PFD and hand pump. The boat custodian will need to approve your roof racks and tie down system before lending you a boat.
Training
The TSCC forward programme is published every two months and will normally include some training programmes aimed at developing members’ skills. Topics include: introduction to paddling, surfing techniques, rolling techniques, advanced techniques and proficiency training and river paddling.
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